


The Gangs of Exy

by allforthequeen



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Alternate Universe - Gangsters, Arranged Marriage, Gangs, Implied Childhood Sexual Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Underage Sex, M/M, Oblivious Neil Josten, Possessive Andrew Minyard, Protective Andrew Minyard, Riko's still a bitch, Threats of Rape/Non-Con, kevin's still made of vodka, mention of rape, out of character riko
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-28
Updated: 2018-07-13
Packaged: 2018-11-04 17:35:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10995663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allforthequeen/pseuds/allforthequeen
Summary: Based on a prompt by @mac-noa on TumblrBasically, the Moriyama's, Wesninski's, and Hatford's are all gangs in an alliance. They're looking to expand and do so by finding Nathaniel a husband. He's engaged when he's young, but Nathan dies and Nathaniel goes into hiding as Neil at Palmetto State. On his 20th birthday, his fiance returns for himCombined with a request for Neil with a British accent.





	1. The Meeting

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! This is my first multi-chap fic so please be nice! Im also very open to advice and suggestions!

For as long as Nathaniel could remember, his life revolved around whatever the gangs ordered of him. When he was five, he watched his father cut a man to pieces with a dull ax because he was late to a meeting. When he was seven, his parents and uncle uprooted him from England to move to West Virginia because his father had formed an Alliance with the Moriyama's. When he was ten, Nathaniel watched as Kayleigh ran with Kevin from Evermore, and he cried for the first time as he realized that was the last time he would see his best friend. At twelve years old, Riko snuck into his room and Nathaniel woke up the next morning sore and bruised.

  
On his thirteenth birthday, Nathaniel was called to attend a meeting with the Moriyama's, Wesninski's, Hatford's, and a new gang from Columbia. When Nathaniel entered the room, he was led to an empty seat at the head of the table, normally occupied by Kengo Moriyama.

"Mama that's not my seat," he whispered.

Mary gave him a look that told him to keep his mouth shut, and he sat down compliantly. He smoothed down the front of the black silk button down he had been told to wear before he realized the sweat on his palms would ruin the delicate fabric and shoved them underneath his legs to keep still. The room was silent as all the adults in the room organized papers and checked their phones. Nathaniel glanced across to the other end of the long table and was met with an empty seat. Expecting the seat to be filled before the meeting began, he jumped when Kengo's voice declared "Let's begin shall we?" There was a murmur of agreement before Kengo continued,

"We have decided to expand into South America. In order to do so, we have declared an alliance with the Moreno's in Columbia." Kengo gestured to the man sitting across from him at the table.

  
The man spoke in rapid Spanish with a thick Columbian accent, and when he was done, a woman to his right repeated in English,

"I am Santiago Moreno. This alliance will greatly benefit both Columbia and your empire."

"In order to secure the alliance, we must be united in marriage. Ichirou is marrying the heir from Russia this summer, and we have arranged for Riko to meet with France in the fall," Kengo continued.Suddenly, all eyes were on Nathaniel. His mother spoke softly, "We understand." Nathaniel finally understood what was meant by the conversation when the doors to the room opened and tall boy was led in. His skin was a golden tan that matched the color of the table, and his height and facial structures suggested that he was at least two years older than Nathaniel. It was clear that the empty seat was meant for him, but he continued to stand.

  
Santiago spoke again, and the woman followed

"This is my son, Isaac Moreno. He is 17, however, he and Nathaniel will not marry until Nathaniel reaches 20. Our alliance is effective following the closing of this meeting, however, if the marriage fails we will secede from this union."

Nathan stood up, and with his movement, pulled Nathaniel up with a firm grip underneath his arm. Nathan walked over to Kengo and Santiago's end and began to sign papers laid out in front of them. Nathaniel shuffled over cautiously until he was standing just a bit more than an arm's length, out of habit, from Isaac.  
His eyes reminded Nathaniel of the color of an old barn door, married with flecks of lighter hues that made them less intimidating. But his hair was the color of Kevin's, and Nathaniel stifled a shudder as the name crossed his mind for the first time in a year. Nathan's voice pierced his thoughts

"It is done. Welcome to the alliance, Moreno."

The adults exchanged firm handshakes, and Isaac met his father's gaze, a look that scared Nathaniel into keeping his feet planted where he was standing even though his legs were itching to run. Isaac leaned down and pressed his lips lightly against Nathaniel's forehead, and with that, he was swept away by the same men who had escorted him in. The room slowly emptied until Nathaniel and Mary were the only ones left.

"You don't realize how much you just helped sweetheart," Mary spoke, placing a gentle hand on Nathaniel's cheek.

  
They left the room together, and for the rest of the night, Nathaniel's forehead burned.

* * *

 Nathan died on Nathaniel's fifteenth birthday. It was the best birthday present he ever received. Nathan received a bullet to the head during a disagreement with South Africa causing tensions between what was now known as the Moriyama Complex and the nation. South Africa joined the alliance as a result of the loss to ease the tensions and suddenly the Moriyama Complex had gained a presence in five continents.

Nathaniel was raised on Exy since he could walk, but he didn't begin to enjoy it until his teen years. By age fourteen he and Riko were practicing with Edgar Allen's college team. Following Nathan's death, Nathaniel was practically locked in Castle Evermore for protection. The week before his seventeenth birthday Nathaniel was escorted out of the stadium by two stoic figure in black suits and blood red ties. He was driven back to the mansion in which he had grown up in and led to a conference room. The room was occupied by one representative from each gang of the Complex, as well as Riko and Mary. Nathaniel's instincts told him that there were more weapons than people in the room.

"Take a seat, Nathaniel." Kengo gestured at a seat, once again at the end of the table.

It wasn't an offer, but a command, so Nathaniel complied. 

"We're sending you away, for your safety, and the security of the Complex," Kengo stated.

Neil understood, he was the sole heir to both the Wesninski and Hatford gangs making him almost as big of a target as Ichirou. However, he lacked the security of Ichirou who had his father, the leader of the most powerful gang in the world. 

"I understand."

"We're sending you to a school of your choosing. The only one who will know where you are and who you are will be Riko. You are not to tell anyone, including your mother, of your whereabouts. You will change your name, and your appearance and you are to disappear from society. Understand?"

Nathaniel nodded lightly. The thought of Riko being the only one to know of his mere existence gave him a bad taste in his mouth, but the other option would most likely result in his death and the death of his mother. Although he and Riko had been raised as brothers, Riko always held dominance over Nathaniel. He glanced at Riko and was met with a steely gaze similar to the ones he saw during their scrimmages. France spoke,

"You will have the option of contacting me through a burner cell. However, know that it as of means to update Riko on your actions. I only know what Riko knows, nothing more. Understand?"

"Yes, Jean." Neil bit his tongue.

He rarely referred to the man by name, more often as "Riko's partner", "Moreau", or "France". He had limited interaction with Jean in recent years aside from Exy, although he suspected that it was the same for Jean and all people, seeing the way that Riko kept him by his side like a pet. When he was younger, before he and Riko were joined in marriage, Jean had taught Nathaniel French, but this was a secret that no one but they knew. Nathaniel took this to heart and regarded Jean's statement with double meaning.

"Then it's settled. You will make your decisions by your birthday and you will be sent out once summer begins at Edgar Allen."

Kengo rose, and after he had departed the rest of the men and women in the room followed suit, with the exception of Mary.

"This is the last time we speak for at least two years, you know that right?"

The years had taken their toll on Mary Harford, as the crinkles around her eyes set in. Although her face was still beautiful, it had lost its light the day that she had married Nathan.

Nathaniel walked towards his mother, and he placed his hand on her cheek the same way she had done to him many years prior. 

"I'll be fine."

* * *

"You chose the worst team in all of the NCAA! Have some self-respect, Nathaniel!"

The sharp Japanese distracted Nathaniel from his weights training and he dropped his bar to turn around and face Riko.

"I figured the less of an opportunity I get to interact with any of you the safer we are. And you know I still have to play, there's no way I'd stop."

"Alright then, I guess. At least your new name is shorter. Imagine seeing Wesninski on one of those horrendous orange jerseys."

Nathaniel managed a slight smirk, before deciding to end his workout early and headed towards the showers. He would be leaving for South Carolina in a little less than twelve hours, and in that time he had to pack and change his appearance. They had new passports and ID's for Nathaniel's new identity, all stating his new looks and an age a year older. Riko figured that the less Nathaniel and his new identity had in common, the safer he would be. Nathaniel stepped in the shower stall and turned the water on as hot as it would go, washing off the last traces of Nathaniel Wesninski.

At 7 p.m, Nathaniel stepped in front of the mirror to admire his handiwork. His hair had been transformed into a dull brown to disguise his natural auburn locks. The icy blue eyes of his father were hidden behind brown contacts that Nathaniel was still adjusting to. A baggy, faded t-shirt and worn jeans replaced his collared shirt and slacks. He held in his hand a single duffel bag containing a few shirts and pants of the same style, replacement contacts, a few boxes of hair dye, and a binder containing cash and instructions to more money if he might need it. The binder also held a picture of Neil and Kevin as children, wearing Exy uniforms, beaming after a big win at their little league tournament. Riko had been cut out of it. 

"Are you sure you don't want to bring more? I know I told you to leave your stuff behind but it might be a little suspicious if a college freshman shows up for school with nothing," Riko remarked.

"I'm fine. I'll handle it."

Riko scoffed and got into a discrete black car. The ride to the airport was silent, and Riko dropped Nathaniel off to avoid the possibility of someone recognizing him.

"I'll send you a message in a week. Don't get yourself killed," was all he said before he sped off.

Nathaniel checked himself in and wandered through the airport until he reached his terminal, twenty minutes early. He looked down at the boarding pass in his hand.

At 9 p.m., Neil Josten would arrive in South Carolina to begin his summer Exy training to join the Palmetto State Foxes. 

At 9 p.m., Nathaniel Wesninski would cease to exist and would be replaced by a boy from Millport, Arizona. 

At 9 p.m., Nathaniel would have the freedom he had been yearning for his whole life.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know what you think! If you have any fic prompts or want to contact me more directly, message me on tumblr @allforthequeen. Thanks for reading!


	2. The Foxes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neil and Kevin's reunion (kinda)! but also, the uneventful first meeting between Neil and Andrew. Sorry, this is more of an exposition chapter to fill in some blanks and give some idea to you guys about how Nathaniel became Neil and provide some backstory for things that'll happen later on.

Nathaniel hated plane rides. The only times he had been on a plane was when he left England and when he went with his mother and the Moriyama's to retrieve a body bag containing his father from South Africa. But there was something different about this one. For starters, it was the shortest flight Nathaniel had taken and the first that Neil had ever been on. For the hour he was in the air, Neil sat in his seat and watched out the window. The sparse clouds made it difficult to see the specks of light radiating from cars and windows, and it made it easier for Neil to think. 

He reminded himself of who he was supposed to be. Neil Josten, 18 years old from Millport, Arizona. With business-people parents too busy to even send their son off to college. He was American, and for the last five months, he had gone through the rigorous process of masking his accent with the help, if you could call it that, of Riko (who sprayed him with water every time he slipped. Nathaniel did not appreciate the treatment). He was supposed to have a brother, a fact drawn up by Riko to explain the brief burner cell conversations and messages. Neil doubted he would mention the brother, or even acquire the cell at all. Most importantly (at least to Neil), Neil Josten was a striker when playing Exy. In the short months he had between the meeting and his departure, Nathaniel, Riko, and Jean had trained together to practice and build stats for Neil Josten, the starting striker for Millport High. Although Neil's time at Millport High was a lie, the papers drawn up by Riko said otherwise, and his stats were the only bit of truth Nathaniel would hold on to.

Exy was the only thing about Nathaniel's fucked up life that he enjoyed. The time he spent on the court was the only time he felt freedom, which was ironic considering he was locked inside a 60 x 100 x 10-yard box being watched by Tetsuji Moriyama while he ran alongside Riko. The gangs' affiliation with Exy had nothing more than to do with fact that it had been created by Tetsuji himself and a woman named Kayleigh. Children of the gangs were thrown into the sport as early as a possible, so that games at Evermore could be used as a distraction for the "business" meetings that took place in the East Tower.

But the love that Nathaniel felt for the sport was the strongest feeling he could feel. At a close second was a fear for his father, a fear that still burned inside despite Nathan's death. It was the only thing that Nathaniel had taken with him from his childhood in England, and despite the close eye of Tetsuji, it was one the few places he was allowed to make any decisions for himself. He was glad that Riko had allowed him to continue with the sport, even though the fact that playing came at Riko's allowance gave Nathaniel a sinking feeling in his stomach. It had to be worth it.

* * *

 

When Neil landed he was greeted by a gruff looking man and skeptical look when he confirmed that yes, he only had the one bag. Neil was ushered inside a plain car and brought to the home of David Wymack, Neil's new coach at Palmetto State University. Wymack was the type of man that Neil wouldn't be surprised to see lingering around with his fathers' man. So when he learned of his curious recruitment of misfits, Neil was surprised to see his compassion, if he had to choose a word to describe it. 

The car ride was too long and uncomfortable, in part due to the humid heat of North Carolina in June. But for the most part, neither Neil nor Wymack wanted to participate in any form of conversation. Unfortunately for Neil, Wymack still had questions he felt he needed the answer to.

"You can adjust the air if you want," Wymack said, gesturing to the knobs on the dashboard.

"I'm fine." Neil was not. He was sweaty.

"We don't get a lot of kids applying to be a fox. You're the second one in the history of the team, I found the rest of the team myself. What made you choose us?"

"I needed a change of scenery I guess." The words sounded foreign without his accent.

"Yeah kid, but you know with skills like the ones you got you could go wherever you want. USC, Penn State-hell, you could be a goddamn Raven if you wanted."

Neil was grateful that Wymack kept his eyes on the road because he flinched at the mention of Edgar Allan. 

"This just seemed like a better fit"

Wymack grumbled something unintelligible and continued to ask Neil a string of questions until they pulled into the parking lot of Wymack's apartment complex. The trip from the car to Wymack's place was silent, save for the elevator sounding and the jingling of Wymack's keys. 

"Sorry it's not much, but the couch is yours. I would offer you a bed but Abby's place is full with Nicky's gang at the moment so this is the best I can give you."

Abigail Winfield, the team nurse, Neil recalled. And Nicholas Hemmick, who was a backliner on the team along with his cousins the Minyard twins. Aaron Minyard was fairly insignificant in Neil's opinion, but Andrew Minyard had piqued his interest during his research. Andrew was easily the best goalkeeper in the NCAA, let alone the south, and his stats were enough to impress the Ravens, who considered the Foxes a laughing-stock. Neil was looking forward to experiencing how he played first-hand. 

Neil and Wymack shuffled around each during their bedtime routines, and after all the lights were off and Neil had settled on the couch with his sheet he was left with nothing but his thoughts. Next week, Neil would meet the rest of his team, and until then he was free to practice at Palmetto State using the set of keys that Wymack had given to him in the car. Neil had read through a few of his teammate's profiles but didn't care enough to go into any great detail. He figured the best way to understand them would be to meet them in person, a thought that Jean heavily disagreed with following his own examination of the Foxes. A quick glance at the clock showed Neil that his thinking was bleeding into the early hours of the morning, so with that, he went to bed. That night, he dreamt of orange and Exy.

* * *

 

Meeting the team lacked the structure Wymack had hoped for. Nicky had come over the next day for breakfast despite Wymack's protests because he was just "bursting with excitement" to meet his new teammate. After an exhausting conversation and too-long breakfast, Neil decided that Nicky Hemmick was overly-energetic but non-threatening. Soon after, Neil had been invited to dinner at Abby's where he met Aaron and Andrew, who greeted him with looks that were equally as threatening though that was the end of their similarities.

Aaron seemed reserved and annoyed by Neil's presence, and kept his conversation at the dinner table strictly between himself, Nicky, Abby, and Wymack, only if he was prompted. But Andrew was startlingly talkative and had a manic smile that distinguished him from his brother. There wasn't much for Neil to talk about aside from Exy, so Wymack and Neil left quickly after helping Abby clean up.

However, the rest of the team was introduced to Neil on Wymack's accord, and Neil walked into the boys' locker room the following week to be greeted with five new faces. Captain Dan Wilds was the first to approach him with a firm handshake and her boyfriend Matthew Boyd followed suit. Allison Reynolds and Renee Walker offered gentle smiles and waves, however, Seth Gordon gave Neil a look challenging Aaron in contempt. Neil fought hard to resist the overwhelming urge to hit Seth with the racket he was stringing.

"Sorry Neil, Coach will be out in second," Matt gestured towards the close door to what Neil assumed to be Wymack's office.

Hushed arguing could be heard, and Neil placed himself in the empty seat closest to the door to catch what he could. The other foxes returned to the casual conversation and Neil strained to eavesdrop on Wymack and whoever he was speaking to, his last teammate, Neil assumed, counting the number of Foxes in the locker room. 

"Why do I...show him...Matt and Seth are his roommates..." 

"...playing alongside...pretend to like him at least...be cooperative..." Neil gathered they must be talking about him.

"...seriously...Dad..." Neil's ears perked up at the word, and he thought back on everything that he had read about Wymack. There had been no mention of a son anywhere in any of the files he had read, let alone one that played on his team. 

There was shuffling around and Neil pretending to be listening to whatever Nicky was rambling on about as Wymack opened the door. A tall, dark-haired boy followed him out of his office glaring at Neil and sat down in the empty seat next to Andrew.

"Sorry, guys you can blame-"

 Neil studied his teammate's features, judging by his build, he must be a striker, and thus Wymack had chosen him to guide Neil in his starting weeks as a Fox. He shared no features with Wymack aside from his dark hair and tan skin which caused his green eyes to be striking. Neil had never seen eyes in that color with the exception of 

"Kevin and his whiny ass."

The name shot through Neil like a bullet. He knew it was wrong to jump to conclusions, there were tons of people named Kevin, but a Kevin who played Exy and had eyes that-

"Josten! Keep staring at Day like that and Nicky will be asking to take you out to lunch."

Neil glared at Seth, who was met with the same treatment from Nicky. Neil glanced over again at Kevin only to see Andrew eyeing him with the same manic smile from the other night and a hand resting on the edge of his black armband. Neil didn't take his eyes off of Andrew's hand for the rest of the rest of the meeting while Wymack continued to talk about the summer training schedule that Neil had already memorized from seeing it on the fridge the week before. When the team dispersed, Andrew lingered for a few seconds, before leaving Neil alone with nothing but the name "Kevin Day" ringing in his ears.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For story purposes, I've decided that Kayleigh and Kevin used the Moriyama last name before they ran. Then they used the last name Day because it was Kayleigh's mother's maiden name or something, just something to keep Kevin as Kevin Day in a way that would keep them safe while they were hiding (if that makes any sense). I figured if Day was Kayleigh's last name then the gangs probably would have known that before she went by Moriyama. Anyways, I hope you're enjoying it so far and I'm very excited to continue updating this fic!


	3. The Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neil confronts Kevin, Riko contacts Neil, Neil decides he hates Andrew who decides the feelings are mutual. Also, Nicky and Matt are also totally secret BFFS because their friendship is just too pure for me to not include.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry guys, the first bit of this chapter might a be little rough but I promise it lightens up as it continues! If non-con makes you uncomfortable please feel free to skip the first section or this chapter entirely. Thank you all for the wonderful feedback, I'm glad that you guys are enjoying this fic as much as I enjoy writing it.

* * *

_ It was the night before Nathaniel's fifteenth birthday. The door creaked open, and the unwanted hallway light flooded the room. Nathaniel fought the urge hide underneath the covers. If he pretended to stay asleep, it would work out better for him. The door shut, and the darkness enveloped the room again, but it didn't distract Nathaniel from the rustling of clothing followed by the all too familiar weight of Riko sinking into the mattress beside him underneath his blanket. Nathaniel felt a cold hand on his back tugging at his waistband, soon followed by unwanted fingers in the same spot that was still sore from the night before. Soon, the fingers were replaced by more pressure and Nathaniel bit his hand to stifle any sound that would alert Riko of his consciousness. Riko grunted and pressed his hips against the Nathaniel until he was done, and crawled out of the bed to re-dress. "Happy Birthday Junior," he remarked snidely before exiting.  _

Neil bolted up straight, covered in a thin layer of cooled sweat. The lack of light in the room let him know it was too early to be awake, but he got up anyway and changed into a sports shirt and running shorts. The jog didn't do enough to calm his nerves and his thoughts were flooded with the spindly handwriting on the letter he received the morning before. 

_Junior,_ Neil had shuddered when he saw the nickname. _If you're reading this, I guess you're doing a good job of following my directions from the airport. I noticed Jean hasn't received any calls lately, so I got you a gift. Use it, or I'll send someone soon for you to reminisce our "brotherly bonding"  -R._ A black cell phone had fallen out of the package before Neil had even touched the letter. He used it to type out a vague status update to Jean and threw it in the safe alongside his bag without bothering to wait for a reply. 

By the time Neil had returned to Fox Tower, the sun had turned the sky into a vibrant pink, and he realized that he had definitely run further and longer than he expected. Neil glanced up to the top of the building and was met with the sight of who Neil had decided to be his second-to-least favorite person on the team, next to Seth. Andrew Minyard was sat on the edge of the of Fox Tower with a cigarette in hand and a bored gaze in his eyes. 

"Thought you weren't coming back, you were gone for almost an hour." He called down.

"Not your problem."

"Oh Josten, you're hurting my feelings."

"Good thing I hate you and I don't care."

Andrew made a face of fake hurt and Neil continued,

"How did you know I left?"

Andrew's face transformed into the same grin Neil had seen at their first encounter, and he shrugged.

"You're not the only one that has bad dreams, Josten." Neil didn't know why he cared, but he was curious.

"Care to share, then?"

"Truths like that come at a price, prove to me you'd return the favor and maybe I'll tell."

"Not worth my time."

"Then better luck next time."

Andrew drew two fingers up in a mocking salute, and let go of the cigarette between his fingers. It landed on the ground just a few inches shy of Neil, and for some reason, he was compelled to pick it up. Neil looked up, placed the cigarette between his lips, and returned the salute. He didn't miss the sound of Andrew laughing before he stubbed out the butt of the cigarette and headed inside.

Neil, although annoyed by Matt's unwavering optimism to make conversation with him, was grateful for the insight that it gave him about his teammates. He learned of the Minyards destructive childhood that led to their reunion with Nicky, and Andrew's eventual incident resulting in his medicated state. Dan's history had been revealed to him in short pieces, but from what he could gather, she was a respectable woman and not one that Neil intended in crossing. Seth and Allison's unhealthy relationship interested him the least, and Renee's lack of history made him uneasy.

However, what he cared about the most was what he learned about Kevin. He had heard Kevin's story from both Matt and Nicky, on a weekend when Neil had come home from a run to find Nicky and Matt playing video games in their living room space. 

"Don't do that to him, you'll scare him off before the year even starts." Neil knew that the "he" Matt was referring to was him.

"Oh come on, it's basically like a rite of passage. We'll try and do it this weekend so he has time to recover. We just have to convince Kevin to skip his training and let us leave on Thursday night."

Matt laughed, "Dude you know he's never gonna go for that. Kev would die for Exy."

"I'll get Andrew to do it."

Neil rounded the corner at the mention of Kevin and Andrew's names.

"Oh hey Neil, wanna join? You can take my place after I finish destroying Nicky this round."

Neil sat down on the couch behind them.

"No I'm fine, I'm gonna go shower in a bit."

"Alright suit yourself."

"What's this about hazing me this weekend?"

Nicky paused the game and turned to look at him. 

"Ok, it's not hazing alright? I just a little team bonding so we can get to know you better." Matt raised an eyebrow at Nicky.

"I would hardly call it team bonding if it's just with the monsters."

"Oh hush Matthew, they're not that bad. Plus, Neil should get to know Kevin if they're gonna be working together this season."

"I don't think he wants to get to know me. What's his deal anyway?"

Nicky resumed the game, and both boys returned their focus to the TV screen but Matt continued.

"He just showed up at Palmetto one day last year. Wymack let him on the team, no questions asked, and then we found out later that Kevin was his son. We would've never guessed it though, by the way those two yell at each other. His mom came by one day and we canceled practice so that she and Wymack could talk. None of us really know that much about it except for Andrew, they have some sort of an understanding. Kevin stopped having that weird look the day he and Andrew became friends."

"Weird look?"

"Jesus, I forgot about that. I love the boy to death, but the look he had when he came here was pathetic. He had couldn't hold racket without looking like he was going to cry. I think he had a bad injury or something because Coach said we had to be patient with him while he learned to play with his right hand. He's amazing now though, I bet he was even better when he played lefty." Nicky spoke with appreciation and pride like Kevin was his child.

Neil got up without a word and headed to the bathroom. He stripped down and turned the shower on as hot as it would go. The Kevin that Nathaniel had known had his left hand injured at the hands of Riko's after Nathaniel had fought back one night and Kevin had tried to protect him. It was the last time Nathaniel had spoken to Kevin, as he ran into Nathaniel's room crying, and clutching his bleeding hand in the middle of the night. Kayleigh had taken him away the next night.

* * *

 

The events of Kevin Day's history were too much of a coincidence to Kevin Moriyama for Neil to disregard, and although it went against his better judgment, Neil had to find out the truth. Unfortunately for Neil, to reach Kevin, he had to go through Andrew. Neil had yet to see Kevin without Andrew by his side at any given time, and Neil was unwilling to spend any more time with Andrew than he had to. Neil regretted knocking on the door of their room the moment it swung open to reveal the blonde behind it.

"Josten! What a pleasant surprise!" Neil knew that Andrew used the word pleasant with less sincerity than the smile plastered on his face.

"I'll give you a truth if you give me Kevin tonight."

"Kevin’s in his room watching some stupid stickball game. He’s married to the stupid sport so he’ll probably be in there for hours but I won’t stop you from trying."

Neil slid past Andrew's small frame and let himself into the bedroom to see Kevin sitting on his bed, focused intently on his laptop screen. Neil sucked in a breath when he realized it was a Ravens-Trojans game from last season. 

"Kevin."

The man jumped at the noise, and looked up, glaring as soon as he saw who had addressed him. He paused the game and removed his headphones anyway.

"What do you want Josten."

"Just to talk. Fifteen minutes, just me and you, and you can never speak to me again if that's what you want."

Kevin stared at Neil for a few seconds, brows furrowed.

"Why would I do that?"

Neil bit his cheek, and the pair stared at each other for a few seconds in uncomfortable silence. 

"Because, if I'm right, then this is something you'll want to hear."

"Right about what?" Kevin cocked an eyebrow. Neil was getting frustrated with his questions.

"I can tell you if you stop being difficult and just let me talk to you."

"We can talk here."

"Not this conversation, no."

"Andrew, won't go for it."

"Andrew's the one that let me in."

Kevin's scornful look broke for second to show his surprise but quickly returned as he thought silently.

"Fine. Fifteen minutes. That's it."

"I'll meet you at the court."

With that, Neil turned and left the room, surprised to see Andrew still lingering in the doorway. 

"Ok, what's your question," Neil said impatiently.

Andrew laughed the same laugh that made Neil's blood boil.

"I'm surprised he agreed. But we're not doing this here, later, once you're done with Kevin. Now get out of my room."

Andrew gestured at the door boredly as his smile fell to an expression matching it. Neil left and skipped his own door in favor of the stairs as he set off for the Foxhole Court.

* * *

 

Andrew must have driven Kevin because by the time Neil entered the locker room he was already leaning against the entertainment center as if he had been expecting him for an appointment. Neil stood a few feet away, gathering courage before finally opening his mouth to ask,

"What's your name?"

Neil was met with the look he expected, Kevin's annoyance clear as he replied

"Are you thick? Kevin Day. I figured you'd know that, especially if you're interested in me enough to steal to me away."

Neil balled up his fists to fight the overwhelming urge to smack Kevin across the head.

"No, what was your old name?" Neil asked, more sternly this time. He saw the shift behind Kevin's eyes as he tried to reply cooly,

"I don't know what you're talking about, Josten."

"Look, Kevin, I'm not trying to be your friend so you don't have to hide things from me like you do with the rest of them. Although you're really not helping yourself out, you should try being less of an ass sometime." Neil couldn't help himself.

"They're my teammates, what I do with them is none of your business. I've only had one friend, and that was before I came here."

Kevin ran a hand through his dark hair and Neil caught sight of the pale white scar that ran along his hand. The two stood for minutes in silence before Kevin broke it with,

"You have 8 minutes left, Andrew will come for me and you won't get another opportunity like this."

Neil's heartbeat skipped, and he thought of how massively stupid the risk he was about to take was, and how his mother, and  _ Riko _ , would scold him for what he was about to say. But he sucked in a breath and spoke in a voice so soft that it was barely a whisper.

"Moriyama." He knew that Kevin heard as he saw the color drain from his face.

"Why do you know that name? What do you know about me? Did  _ he _ send you?" 

Kevin stood up from the entertainment center and began to back away from Neil, clutching his hand against his chest. All of Neil's suspicions had been confirmed. He stared at the floor in silent shock for a few seconds before he registered that Kevin would likely try to run if he didn't explain himself.

"No! It's not that! I-" Neil tugged at his hair, conflicted as he reminded himself of the punishment he would face if Riko found out about what he was going to reveal. But the need to have Kevin back won the fight and he blurted out,

"Kevin! It's me. It's Nathaniel." 

Kevin stopped, a few steps shy of the door leading to the hallway, and stared at Neil with wide eyes. 

"No, no, that's not possible. Riko would never let Nathaniel out of his sight."

"He knows where I am. He's the only one, actually. I'm here to hide, my fa-Nathan died."

Kevin shook his head in disbelief.

"I can't-I don't believe this."

"I can prove it." Neil brought his hands to the hem of his faded t-shirt and lifted his arms bringing it over his head. He discarded in on the ground beside him and fought the overwhelming urge to hide his body behind his arms. In the few weeks he had been training with the Foxes, Neil had refused to change out in front of the rest of his teammates for this very reason. His body was riddled with scars that were reminders of the violence he had faced at the hands of his father and Riko. Kevin scanned every single mark on his body as if he were reading a book. Neil took a step closer to him and surprised that Kevin didn't recoil. He turned around so his back faced Kevin.

"That jagged line underneath my shoulder blade. You gave that to me when we were 9, we were playing Exy with Riko and a few of the other kids without our armor and I fell. You tripped on me and the edge of your racquet caught my shoulder. You felt so bad that you cried until I was done getting stitched up and I yelled at you to stop being a baby. Every time you were an idiot after that I told you that my shoulder hurt to make you feel bad so I would get my way."

Neil flinched as he felt Kevin's fingers touch lightly over the scar. Suddenly, a firm grip on his shoulders spun him around and Neil was in closer proximity to Kevin than he would have placed himself voluntarily. They locked eyes as Kevin studied Neil's face, his shoulders relaxing a bit, and Kevin opened his mouth as if he had something to say. A sudden crash of a metal door caused Kevin to stiffen again, and the door to the locker room flew open to reveal a displeased Andrew.

"15 minutes Day. Get out."

Kevin yielded to Andrew's command and left the room without objection, but Andrew lingered for a second to scan his eyes over Neil's marked body. Neil was suddenly aware of how cold the room was.

"Roof. Later."

And he left the room without another word.

* * *

 


	4. The Club

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neil and Andrew have their first truth talk, the Monsters take Neil to Columbia, Matt is protective over Neil, Kevin replaces the water content in his body with vodka. Just typical Fox things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot of this chapter comes from the book but I needed it to give more background. The next chapter is going to switch to Andrew's POV to give you guys some insight on how things are looking from his perspective so please stay tuned for that!

Andrew hadn't given specifics on their roof meeting but Neil knew that it was time when heard the door to the stairway slam with way more force than any normal human being could justify using at 4 a.m. He had been sleeping, though not well, if he could call his normal sleep pattern good, due to his interaction with Kevin. He put his contacts in, pulled on a Palmetto State sweatshirt too orange for his taste, and slipped on his sneakers before heading up to the roof in his pajamas. Andrew was sitting by the edge of the building with his back turned to the door, but the two steaming cups of coffee next to him showed that he was expecting Neil to join. Neil walked over cautiously and perched himself a few feet away from the goalie, but still close enough to study the details of his face in the early morning light.

Andrew slid over a mug in silence and sipped on the other one until he was lighting a cigarette between his lips in its favor. Neil's fingers twitched as he thought about the last time he had done the same during his last interaction with Andrew. They sat in silence until Neil finished his coffee and Andrew silently offered Neil the second half of his cigarette as he lit a fresh one. Neil was surprised by the gesture until he finally came to the realization that Andrew had probably come off his drugs to sleep, and this was him in a raw, sober state. Finally, Andrew spoke.

"Kevin's traded Exy games for a bottle of Grey Goose. Haven't seen him like that in a while."

"Did he tell you what I said?"'

"I don't care enough to bother him, he's useless when he's like that. If I want to know anything I'll just ask the problem himself" Andrew gestured lazily at Neil.

Neil would have felt the need for a dramatic rebuttal but there was something about the calm look in Andrew's eyes that made Neil wary of disturbing the fragile peace that had settled on the rooftop. He took another long drag of Andrew's cigarette instead and let the heavy smoke linger for a moment before breathing it out. He remembered how he had to fight the cravings at Evermore since Riko hated the taste, and how his fingers twitched every time he smelt the scent lingering in the hallways. The thought of Riko ruining the moment was enough to make Neil shudder. Andrew raised an eyebrow but continued to look into the distance instead of Neil.

"I'll trade you a truth for a truth. Tell me something I want to know, and I'll give you something in return."

"I thought telling you something was payment for Kevin."

"Give me another and I'll throw in one of my own to call it even."

Neil furrowed his brows in contemplation. On one hand, the less he gave, the safer he'd be, but on the other, Andrew Minyard was interesting enough for Neil to break some rules. 

"Ok. What do you want to know?"

"Why is this stupid sport so important to you?" Andrew replied without missing a beat. Neil almost missed it, but years of being trained to spot liars made helped him catch the angry edge the question held. He wanted to know what made Andrew come to hate Exy so much, but he knew it would come at a price.

"It's the only thing I like about this fucked up world. Back in Millport, there wasn't really anything to do besides for getting someone knocked up at 15, moving away, or playing Exy, and since my parents couldn't care less about how I felt about it I chose Exy." That was the closest Neil could bring himself to telling the truth. It was half-true. Other than learning how to wield weapons and make "business deals", the only other options to pass free time at the Complex were to engage in sexual activities or Exy. Running away was risky, but he'd be lying if he said it never crossed his mind. 

"Fucking junkie."

Neil felt the corner of his mouth twitch with the threat of a smirk, or worse, a smile.

"Alright, well ask me something," Andrew sounded like he was getting restless. 

"What are you afraid of?" The question was almost childish, but Andrew's general fearlessness and lack of care for everything made Neil curious.

"Heights."

"Andrew."

Andrew finally turned to look at Neil and in the dim pink sunlight, Neil could see the gold flecks in his eyes that contrasted his pale blonde hair. 

"If you want to know more, you'll have to tell me more."

"Fine."

There was more silence as Andrew studied Neil's face. 

"Why do you wear those contacts?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't test me, Junkie."

"I have my father's eyes." 

"They're awful, the contacts, don't wear them when we go to Columbia." 

"Who said I was going?"

"You're going."

"I'll go if you give me another truth."

Andrew glared at Neil and Neil took the silence as approval.

"Why do you protect Kevin?"

"If I didn't he'd be dead out of fear by now. He needed something to protect him from his past."

"Can you protect me from my past?" Neil wasn't sure why he said it, and how he could suddenly feel desperate enough to place his trust with someone like Andrew. Neil had been taught his whole life to be wary of men like Andrew, yet Neil had already broken half a dozen rules in his presence.

"Easy enough, if you tell me more."

"After Columbia."

Andrew nodded in silent agreement and stood up to stub out the withering butt of his cigarette before kicking it off the edge of the roof. He collected the empty mugs and turned to leave without another word. Neil watched as the pink in the sky turned to gold that matched the color in Andrew's eyes.

* * *

"Jesus Christ no!"

Neil was in the bathroom changing (struggling) into the questionable outfit that Nicky had brought him. It was a gift from Andrew, he had said, and Neil's stomach churned as he realized that Andrew must have found gone through his things to find his sizes. Although Andrew had promised to protect him, it was still difficult for Neil to hand over his trust to someone who was still practically a stranger. 

Dan had arrived in their room a few moments after Neil had retreated to the bathroom and was now berating Nicky on how they were taking Neil to Columbia. Neil wasn't interested enough to eavesdrop, so he continued to pull on the tight black clothing until he was fully dressed and studied himself in the mirror. The last thing he had to do was remove his contacts, something he hoped Andrew had forgotten before Nicky had delivered a reminder along with the clothes earlier that day. Apparently, Andrew hadn't been only one to notice the lenses as a few of the Foxes were placing bets on what Neil's real eye color was. Neil flushed them down the toilet and tried to avoid catching the icy blue in his reflection before he gathered his clothes from the floor and left the bathroom. He stuffed his laundry in the dresser and hesitantly pocketed the phone Riko had sent him.

"Damn Neil! Aaron, you're gonna have to watch how much I drink tonight because Neil cleans up nice wow! I mean, I love Erik and everything but I'm sure even he'd make an exception."

Neil looked around and saw Andrew leaning against the kitchen counter with a lit cigarette in hand despite the smoke detectors the dorms apparently were equipped with. Aaron and Kevin sat sulking on the couch in the living room where Dan was standing next to Matt with her arms crossed across from Nicky. Andrew scanned Neil from head to toe, pausing briefly as they made eye contact before he left the room. Aaron and Kevin followed and Nicky shot an apologetic look at Dan before trailing out into the hallway as well.

Matt clapped hand down on Neil's shoulder as he passed by.

"If something happens and-look, just, if you need anything call and I'll come get you, okay?"

Neil nodded earnestly and headed out, silently trailing the rest of the group to the car. Neil came to the conclusion that he was, once again, witnessing a sober Andrew when Nicky was forced to pull over on an exit ramp and Andrew shoved the door open to unceremoniously dry-heave onto the side of the road. 

"Jesus Andrew!" Nicky said, horrified. 

"He took all of them earlier," Kevin replied, unfazed. 

Neil was unsure of what Kevin had meant until they reached restaurant where Andrew pocketed a fistful of packets in exchange for a small stack of bills with the waitress. They reached Eden's Twilight a short drive later, and Neil quickly found out that Andrew's group was well acquainted with the staff by the way they easily bypassed the line and the bouncers. Once they were inside, Andrew dragged Neil, quite literally by the neck, to the bar where an overly peppy bartender prepped a large tray of drinks and a soda (after Neil's insistent "no-drinking" spiel). The drinks were knocked back quickly and followed almost immediately by the pale yellow powder Nicky had deemed cracker dust. By Neil and Andrew's second trip to the bar, Kevin was wasted and Neil was sipping his second soda, but Neil quickly regretted letting his guard down as he realized how sickly sweet the second drink was. Before he could protest, Nicky had swept him onto the dance floor and pressed a hard kiss to his lips where the strong taste of cracker dust was unmistakable and so strong that Neil had no choice but to choke it down.

"Sorry. Good luck, Neil." Nicky said before shoving him out of the crowd.

Neil landed against the wall and was quickly closed in as Andrew casually settled in beside him.

"I hate you."

"Serves you right for being an idiot."

"Psychopath."

"Runaway."

"What do you want? I played your stupid game and I answered your questions."

"I want to know what a kid from Millport, Arizona is doing lugging around a small fortune and a shrine of Kevin Day for."

Neils suspicions of Andrew going through his things were confirmed.

"Fuck you. Mind your own business."

"This became my business the minute your hard-on for Kevin became involved. Did the Complex send you? Did Riko?"

Neil would have been more prepared at the mention, but the dust in his system caused his temper to flare.

"Shut up, don't say his name."

"Ah, now this is getting interesting. I'll give you some time to think about how much you want to test my patience and then I'll be back." 

Andrew slipped away from Neil and suddenly he was once again surrounded by pounding music, colored lights, and too many bodies. He stumbled towards the crowd and mumbled something before everything went to black.

* * *

"Do you dumbasses want to explain why Matt had to retrieve Neil from the side of the interstate at 6 a.m. with a fucking wound on the side of his head?!"

Neil could hear Dan screaming at the Monsters, as they failed to make it back to either of their rooms and the fight settled in the hallway. Neil had woken up in an unfamiliar bed that he realized to be Nicky's, and after the initial fear had worn off, he found a change of clothes and ran from the house to the nearest payphone where he called Matt to come pick him up. Despite the pounding in his head from both his injury and dehydration due to the cracker dust, Neil lay awake in his bed because he too wanted to know what happened.

"Relax Dan! He did that to himself okay? We gave him some dust and he paid some guy to knock him out after he talked to Andrew."

"So this is your fault!"

"Next time teach him to not be an idiot." Andrew's voice made Neil's ears perk up, and he slid out of bed to make his way out to the hallway.

"There is no way in hell there will be a next time yo-hey Neil how are you?"

"I'm fine. We need to talk." Neil looked at Andrew. 

"We can talk here." 

Neil made a quick glance at Kevin who was boring holes into the side of Andrew's head.

"No, we can't."

Andrew sighed, and checked his phone.

"Well, if I'm right, Wymack will be here any minute to drag us somewhere to continue Dan's screaming so you might need to schedule an appointment."

Neil scowled at the realization that Andrew was back on his medication and the manic glint in his eyes confirmed the assumption. Wymack's booming voice flooded the floor as the elevators doors slid open.

"Get your retarded psycho ass to my apartment right now before I drag you there tied to the back of my car. Neil, come with me."

Neil was forced into another uncomfortable car ride with Wymack to his apartment, though this time it was due more to the repercussions of last night, and by the time they reached Wymack's home Neil spotted Andrew's shiny black car in the parking lot. When they reached Wymack's floor Andrew was already waiting against the doorframe to his apartment.

"Get inside so I don't tear you apart out where the neighbors can hear."

Andrew obliged and slid inside the apartment. Neil was still uneasy with how Wymack left his door unlocked despite his assurance that nearly no one lived on his floor. Neil and Wymack followed and the three stood at an uncomfortable distance apart facing each other in the living room. Wymack turned to Neil first.

"You should have called me," he turned to Andrew, "and I thought I told you we wouldn't tolerate any more of this bullshit, Andrew."

"Coach, I need to talk to Andrew alone for a minute."

"No, I'm afraid that if I let you out of my sight one or both of you are going to end up dead."

Neil thought about the only other thing he knew about Andrew and hesitated with his other option. A few weeks ago he had heard the twins and Nicky speaking in German in the locker room after Seth had said something that had almost resulted in a bloodbath. By the extensive swears they had used, Neil suspected that they must have all been completely or at least nearly fluent, and although he hated giving Andrew more reason to question him he couldn't wait any longer to tear him apart.

"What the hell is your problem! We made a deal, didn't we? What did I do to make you want to drug me out of my mind?"

Wymack stood there dumbstruck, but Andrew recovered quicker and answered in German,

"I hate surprises, Josten, that was a bold move you made."

"What makes you think I care? Tell me why you did it."

"I already did. I'm waiting for your answer."

"You're insane if you think I'm a mole."

"Then correct me. Give me something else. What about your parents?"

"I told you."

"The truth, Josten."

"They're dead." Half-true.

"You killed them?"

"Riko's family did." Also half-true.

Andrew continued to pester Neil with questions, and Neil decided the best course of action was to respond with half-truths. After the events of last night, Neil was sure how good he felt about trusting Andrew. Neil's family was involved in the Complex. Neil's dad worked for Riko's dad. Neil and Kevin had met when they were young. Kevin was all that Neil had other than Exy that was from his life. Andrew pegged Neil with questions about Kevin and the Moriyama's and Neil did the best he could to respond, but it was only Andrew's last question that Neil could answer honestly.

"So what do you want then? If everything is so complicated why are you at Palmetto instead of hiding in a ghost town like Millport?"

"Let me stay," it came out as almost a whimper. "I can't give this up, this is the closest I've been to being free from the Complex, you know how bad Kevin wants it, I want it too."

The glint in Andrew's eyes melted away for a brief moment, and for few seconds, Neil swore that he could see the gold flecks in his eyes again.

"Next time we have a heart-to-heart like this, I don't want any more of your crap."

"Okay. Are you going to tell Kevin?"

"Don't ask me stupid questions."

* * *

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys again for all the support! I have to mention that I am going on holiday very soon so there may be a bit of a lack of updates until July starting on the 14th of June, but I'll do my best to get some writing done during my free time and give you guys another chapter before I leave. If you want to let me know of any ideas you want me to incorporate into future chapters the best way to let me know is through Tumblr (@allforthequeen) although I do check the comment thread on this fic as well, just not as often, so don't fret if you can't contact me through Tumblr :)  
> Xx


	5. The Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Andrew's POV following the Andreil roof talk leading up to after their interaction at Wymack's. More insight into what happened after Neil passed out at Eden's, a little bit of smut(though between Andrew and Roland) nothing too descriptive so if you're sensitive to that don't worry, slightly OOC Andrew, and how Kevin is coping with his the whole ordeal from Chapter 3. Enjoy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! Sorry I didn't get a chance to upload before I left but I had a bout of procrastination and left all my packing until last minute oops. Here is the Andrew chapter I promised before, and thanks again for all the lovely feedback!

Andrew's POV

* * *

_sometime between Andreil's chat on the roof and Columbia_

"Fucking junkie should really be more careful"

Andrew scoffed as he pushed open the door to Neil's dorm. He walked over to the desks lining the wall and sifted through the contents on Neil's desk, smirking at the fox paw doodles on the margins of his Spanish notes. Continuing into the bedroom, Andrew picked out Neils bed as it stood out in stark contrast as the only one of three to be well made and organized, and knelt down in front of the dresser underneath. The top drawers opened to reveal Neil's baggy shirts and dirty laundry, but the safe in the bottom drawer was what piqued Andrew's interest.

"Jesus Josten, what the hell?"

Andrew unlocked the safe with almost too much ease, and was underwhelmed to find a plain white binder, slightly over-filled, and showing signs of wear and tear. Andrew sat down cross-legged on the floor and opened the binder to examine its contents. A few phone numbers. Thousands of dollars in large bills. Information about Palmetto State. Credit Cards. Fashion lenses in the color "deep brown". A scribbled reminder for a brand of hair dye. A picture. Of a young, auburn-haired boy with his arm around one who could only be Kevin Day. 

He returned everything to its place and returned the binder to its hiding place, closing the dresser and taking care to check the tags of Neil's clothing for a size before exiting the dorm. He crossed to the hall to his own room and slammed the door open, grinning at the sight of Kevin jumping at the noise. 

"Oh, Kevin! I hope you haven't had too much that bottle in your hands because we're going shopping! Get your ass up let's go!"

Andrew swiped his keys off the counter and tossed them at Nicky, watching as Kevin struggled to his feet from the beanbag chair, stumbling a little on his way over to where Andrew was standing. Andrew almost shuddered at the dead look in the other man's eyes as he reached close proximity but the smell of liquor that accompanied kept him grounded. 

"Wow Kev, I think you've replaced your bodily water content with vodka!"

"FU* _hic*_ ckyou 'drew"

* * *

 

Andrew looked down from his spot at the balcony to where Neil was slumped against the wall. In the colored lights of the club, Andrew could imagine what his hair looked like in its red state, and the mental image he conjured sent a chill down his spine the same way Neil's eyes had back at Fox Tower. He didn't completely trust the boy yet, but that didn't mean he couldn't appreciate what God had given him to work with.

"Ready to go?"

Roland's voice pulled Andrew from his thoughts, and he turned around to push past him silently towards a door marked "Staff Only". By the time Andrew had lowered himself to his knees, his eyes were shut and he found himself imagining the weight in his mouth was Neil. After a few minutes of heavy breathing, Andrew pulled back and let Roland leave a mess on the floor, before cleaning himself up and leaving Andrew alone. Andrew pushed his hand down the front of his black jeans and let the thought of an auburn haired, blue eyed boy take him apart.

Andrew descended the stairs back to the main floor of Eden's, only to be met with a nervous looking Nicky and slightly more annoyed looking Aaron.

"Andrew! Oh my god you missed it, Neil paid some dude at the bar to knock him out after you left. And the dude actually did it! Like can you believe th-"

"Where is he?"

"Who? Neil? Or the guy?"

"Both." 

"Well, the dude is over there by the bar, the one in the plaid shirt and Neil-"

Andrew didn't give Nicky a chance to finish his sentence before he was storming off towards the booth situated near the bar, and he could feel his temper flare when he spotted Neil laid across the lap of a scruffy looking man who had one hand in his curls and the other wandering too far south. The man met eyes with Andrew, and in a drunken slur called out,

"Hey 'sthis yourboyfriend? 'cause I'm okay ifyouwanna join in."

Andrew pushed Neil off the man's lap before dragging him out of the booth by his collar. He landed a firm fist in the man gut, and released his grip, letting him crumple to the floor. He reached into the booth and grabbed Neil by the armpits, sliding him out and hoisting him over his shoulder. He ignored the look of several stunned strangers as he pushed his way back to where he had left Nicky and Aaron by the stairs. 

"I'm going to go get the car. By the time it's pulled up outside you better be out there with Kevin."

Nicky and Aaron dispersed, and Andrew stepped outside, with Neil still draped across his shoulder. He easily found the car in the lot, and carefully laid Neil across the backseat.

"Fucking idiot."

He was pleased to see that his cousin brother had taken his orders seriously and waited as they shoved Kevin in the passenger seat before piling in the back, Nicky shifting so that Neil could lay against his shoulder.

"Did you drink the whole bar Kev?"

Nicky chuckled, and Andrew sped off leaving Eden's in the distance.

* * *

 Andrew exited the bathroom and walked back towards his own room, scrubbing his hair with a towel. He had watched Nicky put Neil to bed and waited until Nicky himself fell asleep before he decided it was safe to leave them alone and shower. He passed by Kevin's room and noticed the door open to crack, so he took it upon himself to go inside. Kevin must have been waiting for him judging by the way he was sitting against the headboard.

"Did you drink the water?"

"Yeah. It's still gonna hurt tomorrow though."

Andrew would forever be amazed by Kevins ability to drink enough for three grown men and find enough words to manage a coherent conversation.

"I told you not to to overdo it tonight."

"I know. But given the circumstances." Kevin gestured weakly at the wall that separated his and Nicky's rooms.

Kevin shifted a little as if to make room for Andrew to sit beside him, but Andrew stayed where he was leaning against the dresser.

"Josten's got your panties in a bunch hasn't he?"

Kevin scoffed at the remark but didn't offer a rebuttal. Andrew waited in silence until Kevin offered something to say.

"If he is who he says he is, then I'll know I didn't fuck him up."

Andrew cocked an eyebrow.

"I thought, that since I left, Nathaniel would be stuck there forever being tortured by Riko and it would be my fault since I abandoned him. But if he's really here, in that room right now, then I'll know I didn't fuck him up." Kevin stared at a spot on the sheets.

"Well Kev, whenever you're ready to stop weeping into your bottle you can talk to Josten and figure out whatever it is that's making you feel the need to drink enough to kill a horse. I'm going to bed."

Kevin leaned over to the nightstand and took a long drink from a nondescript looking bottle, causing Andrew to roll his eyes.

"Don't sleep on your back, I don't want to be the one to find you dead in the morning because you choked on your own vomit."

"Goodnight to you too, Andrew."

* * *

  _After the events at Wymack's apartment_

Andrew climbed into the passenger seat where Nicky shot him a surprised look as Neil opened the backseat door. 

"Not a word."

Nicky started the car and complied, and began the drive back to Fox Tower. The entire drive was silent and no words were exchanged until they had returned to the dorms and Nicky left Andrew and Neil in the hallway as he received a call from Erik. Andrew watched as Neil headed for his room and waited until he was turning the handle to say,

"Roof. After Kevin's done with you." 

"Kevin?"

"He'll come find you later."

Andrew didn't wait for a response before return to his own room. 

"Andrew! You're back! What happened at Coach's place?"

"Nothing that pertains to your business Nicky, where's Aaron?"

"Aaron? Uh..." Nicky's voice trailed off as he searched for the right words to say all while avoiding eye contact with Andrew.  

"Whatever, I don't actually care."

"So are we going to talk about what happened at Eden's?"

"Whatever could you be talking about dear cousin?" Andrew replied boredly.

"That whole thing with Neil?"

"You know I don't like it when you pry." Andrew ran his fingers along the edge of his armband. 

"Okay, jeez I get it." Nicky held his hands up in surrender.

Andrew situated himself in one of the beanbag chairs in front of the TV and turned it on to the movie they had been watching before they left. 

"Do you want your ice cream? "

"Do you want to die? Yes, I want it Nicky."

* * *

 


	6. The Call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neil and Kevin finally speak again, another Andreil roof sesh, and a phone call with Jean.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...yikes. Okay so I know i've been gone for a while. I'd explain but I doubt you would be entertained by it but at least I'm back! This isn't necessarily the best chapter I've ever written, nor is it the big comeback I had hoped but it's needed to fill some plot holes, and I swear we're getting into some good Andreil soon. Hopefully soon doesn't mean another six months.

“Welcome back Neil! We were scared Andrew wasn’t gonna bring you back in one piece.” Matt beamed at him.

“ _We_ is a strong assumption,” Seth replied annoyed, not bothering to look away from the video game he and Matt were currently invested in.

“Shut up Seth. Kevin’s been in our room for a while waiting for you, he said it was important.”

“Yeah, you should probably go in there before he dies from alcohol poisoning.”

Neil glared a little at Seth before heading down the hallway into their room. He found Kevin sitting leaned up against the dresser, cradling a bottle of clear liquor. Kevin looked up at him expectedly and held up the bottle to show that it was full, to Neil’s surprise.

“Are you ready to talk?” Neil raised an eyebrow. It was silent for a few minutes, and Neil’s fingers twitched at the thought of the cigarette Andrew would inevitably offer him later.

“I didn’t think I would ever see you again.” Kevin was staring at the bottle again, eyes scanning over words that he’d probably memorized by now. Neil responded with silence until Kevin opened his mouth again. “I thought you were dead, Nathaniel I-”

“Don’t call me that. I’m Neil here.”

“Neil. I thought that for sure when I left you behind in that place that Riko was going to destroy you.” He turned to look at Neil, who suddenly became aware that he still wasn’t wearing contacts. “I just-what is it like there? I need to know. I’ve been wondering every day since I left.” Kevin held his stare for longer than Neil was comfortable with, but neither of them broke eye contact. Neil walked over and sat on the edge of Matt’s bed, eyes still trained on Kevin.

“Give me the bottle, and I’ll tell you everything.”

Neil didn’t know how much he meant it, but the weary look in Kevin’s eyes made him sick to his stomach with guilt. Kevin had been his best friend, really his only friend, and the thought of Kevin reminding himself about a shithole like the Complex was enough to make his conscience churn.So he started to talk, starting with the brutal sessions with Riko that began the night Kayleigh took Kevin, through Nathan’s death, and Riko’s engagement to Jean. That topic made Kevin cringe, and Neil omitted the detail of his own obligations to spare himself any more honesty. By the time he was done the sun had begun to cast gold shadows on the trees outside.

“That’s all I can tell you for now. Matt’s probably going to come in here any minute to ask about dinner.”

Neil was really thinking about the roof, but the small lie was comforting after the truths he had just succumbed to Kevin. He stood up offering the bottle back to Kevin, who accepted it, studying the labels once again. When he looked at Neil again, the vulnerability from before was replaced with his usual steely gaze, and he rose to leave. He turned slightly when he reached the door,

“We start training tonight. I’ll come for you.” and left without another word.

* * *

 

“Been waiting for you. I’m not really a fan of people wasting my time Josten.” Neil noticed the small pile of cigarettes next to Andrew.

“Sorry, I guess”

“Don’t be sorry, just don’t be stupid,” Andrew said, giving his cigarette to Neil before pulling out the pack to light another one for himself. The two smoked in silence and watched as the campus street light lit up to counteract the sun dropping below the horizon.

“Are you going to ask me something?”

“Your turn first.”

“What’s with the drugs?” It came out in a tone that was a little more accusatory than Neil anticipated. Andrew scoffed.

“Well, you picked a good time to ask. If you had done that while I was off of them I probably would have pushed you off this ledge right now.” Neil rolled his eyes at the wicked smile Andrew had.

“Aaron, Nicky, and I used to work Eden’s. One night after our shifts were up some pieces of shit jumped Nicky in the alley, they would’ve died if Aaron wasn’t there to call the cops. I would’ve made sure of it. Afterwards, they put me on these pills to control the crazy, and that’s what you get now.”

“Is that why you don’t drive your car?”

“Another question is going to cost you, you know that.” Neil shrugged, and Andrew nodded.

They sat in silence again until Neil stubbed out the filter of his cigarette and pulled his knees to his chest, resting his face on the side to look at Andrew. The light was similar to the first morning they had been up here, and Neil swore he saw the gold flecks again before Andrew turned to glare at him.

“Why did you let Nicky kiss you?” Behind the drug haze, there was a weird look on Andrew’s face when he asked.

“I didn’t. He just grabbed me and did it.”

“If he ever touches you like that again, you will not let it happen. Understand?”

The hard look on Andrew’s face and the way he was fiddling with the edge of him armband was enough to make Neil nod. He felt strange as he remembered the conversation in Wymack’s apartment.

“The next time someone comes for you, stand down and let me deal with it. Do you understand? You want me to let you stay, then you’re under my protection now.”

* * *

 

The next day was exhausting for Neil. Kevin had come to his room around 10 with a sober Andrew who drove them to the court. There, Kevin had Neil teach him the Raven drills, as well as reviewing a few older ones from their childhood while Andrew watched unaffected from the stands. A few times Kevin tried to convince him to join them, but both times he was met with bored looks. Neil didn’t make it back to the dorm until 2 a.m. and woke up a few hours later itching to run. By the time he got back and showered it was time for class and here he was, sitting in a tiny desk doodling fox paws on the edge of his Spanish notes. He glanced at the date he had scribbled in the corner of his paper and felt his heart skip a beat. When class ended, Neil hurried as fast as he could back to Fox Tower. He threw his books haphazardly on his desk and went into the bedroom, crouching down the lowest drawer on the dresser and opening up the safe. He felt around behind the binder until he grabbed the the black cell phone, and dialed Jean’s number by heart.

“Didn’t think you were going to ever call. I almost suspected you were dead.”

“Fuck you. I need a favor.”

“I don’t think Riko really likes those Nathaniel.”

“Please. If you do it, I’ll call more. I’ll even send him a goddamn postcard if he wants.”

“Desperation is a bad look on you. What is it that you want?”

Neil sucked in a breath, and let it out slowly before continuing,

“It’s Mary’s birthday. Could you try and say something to her for me?” All Neil could hear was the sound of Jean breathing quickly before letting out a heavy sigh.

“ _Merde_.” Jean’s voice had dropped to barely louder than a whisper.

“What, what is it?”

“ _Mon dieu ce bâtard_. He didn’t tell you Nathaniel?”

“Jean. What is going on?”

“She’s dead, Nathaniel. Your mother’s dead.”

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's short but I figured this ending would get the plot going. I'm thinking that I might reread the series again as well as my own writing as the characters felt a little strange to me throughout this chapter, but I didn't want to keep you all waiting any longer. As usual, let me know if you have any ideas, questions, comments, and what not either on here or on Tumblr (@allforthequeen). Thanks for the constant support, love you all. Xx


	7. The Airport

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neil makes a bad decision, and Andrew and Wymack come to the rescue. WARNING: rape/non-con mentioned

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't even have an excuse anymore honestly. Sorry for being crappy about updating. I have new (Tumblr saw it first) one-shots posted in a lame attempt to make it up to you guys for being absent for so long, so please take a read if you've stuck around for this long.

Neil became Nathaniel once again the moment his feet hit Evermore property. He handed a large bill to the cab driver and said something that resembled “keep the change” before slinging his backpack on and making a beeline for the court. It was 5:30 a.m., Riko should have just about beaten the team out of bed and onto the court for practice by then. Nathaniel all too naturally punched in the code on the court’s keypad and opened the door.

_“He won’t be happy you know.” Kevin pestered in Japanese. “_

_My mother is dead and he didn’t tell me. There’s a whole lot to say about unhappy,”_

_“I wasn’t talking about Riko.” Neil’s eyes followed as Kevin gestured with his hand clenching a bottle towards Andrew’s bed. “If he knew what you were doing he’d kill you.” “_

_He’s not going to find out. You don’t have the right to tell him Day, you know better than that”_

“RIKO!” Nathaniel boomed as he burst into the court, crashing an Exy stick he had swooped up in the locker room against the doorway with a loud clang. Nathaniel had his father’s smile plastered on his face as he marched his way across the court. A hand grabbed out at his arm and Nathaniel responded by connecting his stick with the owner’s stomach.

“Don’t do something you’ll regret” Jean bit through gritted teeth.

“What the hell are you doing here Nathaniel.” Riko barked at him in Japanese, yanking Jean up by the collar of his gear. “You come here uninvited, unexpected, and still have the audacity to touch what’s mine.” Nathaniel watched Jean’s throat clench as Riko’s hand slid behind his neck in a possessive grasp.

“I didn’t know Ravens had balls, what the fuck happened to my mother Moriyama.”

“Don’t come in here disrespectfully and begin demanding things, you know better than that.” Riko’s fist connected with Nathaniel’s chin, sending him to the ground. Neil’s own words to Kevin from earlier that morning rang in his ears. “You’re interrupting practice, either gear up or sit in my room and I’ll deal with you once it’s over.” Riko pulled Jean down to whisper something in his ear that made him shudder, then shoved him away before putting his helmet back on calling out a drill in English.

* * *

 

_Four days later_

Neil stumbled out of the airport and slid to the ground against the large cement pillar outside. His body was sore, he was probably bleeding through his sweatpants, and his eyes were so swollen he wasn’t sure they were open. Neil squinted in a sad attempt to see in the dim 2 a.m. light. He struggled to retrieve the black phone from his pocket and dialed a number he wasn’t sure why he had memorized. Three rings and an incredibly angry voice grumbled,

“How the fuck did you get this number and who the fuck are you calling me at this shitty time of day”

“Airport. Terminal 3.” Was all Neil could manage before the phone slipped out of his grasp and into his lap. He heard some more angry grumbling before the call ended and leaned his head against the pillar, closing his eyes.

 _Four days was all it took. After_ practice _, Riko had burst into the room and had Nathaniel pinned against the mattress. He recounted Mary’s death at the hands of Nathan’s old henchwoman and mistress, and casually relayed the details of her body’s burning in the Complex’s courtyard as he fucked himself into Nathaniel. After he was done, Jean was dragged in and forced upon Nathaniel, before Riko repeated his abuses on Jean simultaneously. Nathaniel was ordered to fuck Jean and was_ beaten _until he forced himself inside in submission, mentally kicking himself for being weak while whispering apologetic French to Jean. It continued for four days before Riko decided he had had enough and sent Nathaniel in a car accompanied by Jean to the airport where he was unceremoniously sent on his way back to North Carolina._

Neil was pulled out of his thoughts by a gruff voice.

“What the fuck, Junkie.” Andrew squatted in front of him in grey sweats, a black t-shirt, and armbands, hair and face still soft from sleep and sobriety. Past him, Neil could see Wymack waiting in the running car.

“...’drew” Neil mustered before slumping into black. Andrew turned around and was met with Wymack’s stern glare, before gingerly scooping Neil from the ground and into the backseat of the car.

“Not gonna sit up here?” Wymack made eye contact in the rearview mirror.

“Making sure he doesn’t die in his sleep before I get the chance to kill him myself.” Andrew could’ve sworn he saw a glimpse of red in low street lights that shown on Neil’s hair in his lap.

“I don’t get paid enough for this shit."

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know they all seem super out of character (at least to me) here, but this is generally the direction these characters are probably headed in this fic. I needed a way to catalyst the Andreil so that's what this ending is all about, (as well as it being super short) but don't worry, the "that doesn't mean I wouldn't blow you" is coming soon. Hopefully with some smut attached as well. Keep bugging me with the comments and messages to encourage more chapters, I'm really hoping I can get back on the wagon with writing this time. Xx


End file.
